Sunday, August 5, 2007

It all started when my good friend gave me 2 Hong Kong Fridge Magnets which her then boyfriend (now hubby) got her while on his business trip to Hong Kong.

I was really surprised that Hong Kong has such nice Fridge Magnets! Besides, I heard alot from her about her other Hong Kong Fridge Magnets which her boyfriend got her that I became so excited & couldn't wait to fly to Hong Kong to buy all of them!!

That was why Dear & I decided to visit Hong Kong again (cos we had been there before we knew each other)!! That was the main reason why we went to Hong Kong!! YES!!! To buy my Fridge Magnets!! Heheh!!!

(The Old Star Ferry Pier with the Star Ferry

- Hong Kong

-it was Demolished in Nov 2006,

now there's a new Victorian-Style

Star Ferry Pier in place!!)

(Tsing Ma Bridge - Hong Kong

- Opened to Traffic in 1997,

linking Landau Island & the Urban Districts

- the 22000 Metres Long Tsing Ma Gigantic Bridge

stretches from Tsing Yi Isle to Ma Wan (Bay),

& it's the Longest Suspension Bridge

for both Vehicle & Railway Purposes

in the World

While in Hong Kong, Dear & I met up with my many Hong Kong ex-unimates from Deaking University (Australia).

And one night, one of them, my Hong Kong good friend cum ex-roommate, brought us to the promenade along Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront between the Avenue of Stars & Hong Kong Cultural Centre to watch the spectacular multimedia display (named the "World's Largest Permanent Light & Sound Show" by Guinness World Record).

The Show created an all-round vision of colored lights, laser beams & searchlights performing a stunning, unforgettable spectacle synchronisd to music & narration at the Victoria Harbour opposite the promenade.

And it was later at the Avenue of Stars Souvenir Shop where I found the following Fridge Magnets.

(Filmmaker Clapboard

- Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong)

My Hong Kong good friend tried bringing Dear & I to the Po Lin Monastery to visit the Giant Buddha while we were in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, it was raining very heavily the day we wanted to go, so we decided to visit the Victoria Peak instead.

How sad, that we could not get to see the Giant Buddha, but I was glad that I managed to get hold of the Fridge Magnet from the Avenue of Stars Souvenir Shop the night before.

(Giant Bronze Buddha seated on top

of the 520-metre High Ngong Ping Plateau amid

the Spectacular Mountain Scenery of Lantau Island

- World's Tallest, Outdoor, Seated Bronze Buddha

Unveiled in 1993 amid Deeply Religious Ceremonies

- 34 metres High & Weighing 250 Tonnes,

it was Cast in China & took 10 Years to Complete)

We visited the Hong Kong Ocean Park (one of the largest oceanariums in Asia), where I got the below Grasshopper Fridge Magnet, cos I found it to be so real! Besides, it brought back many fond memories cos I used to see such green grasshoppers in my childhood days!

(Very Real-looking Metallic Green Grasshopper

- Ocean Park, Hong Kong)

(Side View of the Grasshopper)

The next day, Dear & I went to Stanley, located East of Repulse Bay (one of the best beaches in Hong Kong) & West of Shek O (a wealthy Expat Enclave), in the Southern part of Hong Kong.

We really liked Stanley, cos it felt different, as if we were at a non-Chinese foreigner place! It's a very pretty nice small seaside village, once the favourite place for the first colonial settlers in Hong Kong.

We later visited Stanley Market, a large open-air marketplace. well known for its bargains in clothing, particularly silk garments and traditional Chinese dress, as well as toys, ornaments, luggages, souvenirs & Chinese arts & crafts.

And I was very excited cos I found many interesting & beautiful Fridge Magnets in the Market!

(Chinese Boy & Girl dressed in

Auspicious Red Colored Chinese Costumes

Carrying Golden Colored Coin-shaped

Ornaments with the Chinese Characters

"Ji Xiang Ru Yi" & " Gong Xi Fa Cai"

basically Wishing Us "Good Luck" &

"Congratulations & be Prosperous"

during Chinese Lunar New Year

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Traditional Chinese Wedding

Wooden Bridal Sedan Chair with

Chinese Character "Xi" meaning "Double Happiness"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(The Wedding Couple

- The Groom is in Traditional Chinese Long Gown

with a Red Silk Sash

with a Silk Ball on his shoulder,

& the Bride is in Traditionl Chinese Red Dress

with her Bridal Pheonix Crown

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

I was really happy when I found the below Fridge Magnet in Stanley Market. It's a replica of the Bambo Container with Chinese Fortune Sticks used in Chinese Temples. It's so so Cute & I just love it!

Well, this's the oldest known method of fortune telling in the world known as "Kau Chime" - a set of 78 numbered sticks held in a bamboo container. Holding the container in both hands and shaking it causes one of the sticks to rise and fall out.

The number on the stick is cross referenced with ancient texts, and a fortune told. The fortune is generally a short poem or rhyme, and the point is not so much to have a clear picture of the future, but an indication of the possibilities which lie ahead.

This opportunity therefore exists for people to make the most of their lives by being more aware of the 'environmental conditions' which surround their lives.

(Chinese Fortune Sticks in Bamboo Container

with Chinese Character "Fu" meaning "Good Luck"

& the Words "Hong Kong Fortune Sticks"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

It's very interesting to find replica Fridge Magnets of other Modes of Transportation in Stanley Market too!

(Rickshaw (or Jinrikisha)

- Two-wheeled Hooded Wooden Cart with

Chinese Character "Xiang Kang" or "Hong Kong"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Traditional Red Sailed Chinese Junk with

Chinese Character "Xiang Kang" or "Hong Kong"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Hong Kong Star Ferry

- Passenger Ferry Service carrying

Passengers across Victoria Harbour,

between Hong Kong Island & Kowloon

- Stanley Market, Hong kong)

If you've read my very first post in my blog, you would have known that I was born in the Year of Pig. And I was very lucky to have found the below Pig Fridge Magnet in Stanley Market. It's so cute & so so sweet, just like me!! Hahaha!!!

(Porcelain Pig with Chinese Character

"Xiang Kang" or "Hong Kong"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

And I was really delighted when I found the below Chinese Lucky Cat (or Cai Bao) Fridge Magnet. This Lucky Cat with its right paw raised brings money & happiness to homes & businesses. And a bell hangs from her neck, calling in extra good wealth energy.

In Hong Kong, Lucky Cats are often bought by merchants of small businesses and they put them in their shops for success & good fortune.

(Porcelain Chinese Lucky Cat (or Cai Mao)

with Right Raised Paw

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

Since young, I've always fancied the Chinese Laughing Buddhas, guess cos of their huge fat belly I find them really amusing. Well, I was glad I found the below Laughing Buddha Fridge Magnet in Stanley Market.

The Laughing Buddha carries his wealth (money, candy, food, rice plants etc) in a large bag usually carried over his shoulder which he uses to feed the poor & needy. He's always cheerful & smiling & he brings happiness to others through his appearance, & rubbing his belly is supposed to bring luck.

The title "Buddha" does not directly refer to the founder of Buddhism but indicates that the figure has a benevolent nature and is known for good works. It's theorized that there was a real Buddhist monk in China over 1,000 years ago named Pu-Tai. He was considered a man of good & loving character & therefore, an incarnation of the bodhisattva (a human being dedicated to attaining Enlightenment).

In the Chinese legend, this figure is believed to be a deliverer of good luck, contentment & prosperity.

(Porcelain Laughing Buddha

carrying his Bag of Wealth over his Shoulder

& his right hand carrying a

Chinese Gold Nugget or Ancient Money (Yuan Bao)

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

It brought back many fond memories of my childhood years when I saw the following Fridge Magnet. It's a replica of the wooden Chinese musical instrument or Paddle Drum (or toy) which I used to love playing with when I was very very young!

I would always turn it left to right, right to left, non-stop (spinning the Handle) for the 2 attached strings with tiny round heads (on each side) to make the beating sound on the wooden drum! It was so fun!! Though it could be quite nosiy at times, but guess noise to kids are music ha!! heheh!!

(My Childhood Toy

- Traditional Chinese Wooden Paddle Drum with

Chinese Character "Fu" meaning "Good Luck"

surrounded by the word "Hong Kong"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Traditional Chinese Wooden Drum with

Chinese Character "Fu" meaning "Good Luck"

surrounded by the word "Hong Kong"

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

Well, have I ever told you that I reallly fancy Chinese Cultural Dressed Dolls?! Well, actually I like all kinds of cultural dolls, be they the Swiss, Dutch, Tibetan, Indian etc etc, any country cultural doll!!

And I was really happy when I found the following Chinese Oriental Wooden Doll Fridge Magnet! I was attracted to her beautiful Headdress, her white pearl earrings & her embroidered clothing!

(Wooden Oriental Doll

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

Since young, I would follow my parents & siblings to watch the annual Chinese Opera shows in our neighbourhood. I really enjoyed them, though I couldn't really make out what they were saying or singing!

In Hong Kong, Cantonese opera involves much more than just traditional culture and heritage. It is a fine art that includes fluid and graceful body movements and expressions. The drama in any opera comes from the elaborate and flamboyant costumes, exquisite wigs and colourful make-up worn by the actors.

And well, while shopping in Stanley Market, I found 2 Opera Masks Fridge Magnets.

(Ceramic Cantonese Opera Mask with

the Word "Hong Kong" on Red Ribbon

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Wooden Cantonese Opera Mask

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

I remember I enjoyed "playing" with the Abacus when I was very very young, sliding the many beads on the wooden frame, pretending I knew how to calculate!! Haha!! Well, I was just fascinated with the whole structure of it, but I never learned & knew how it actually works!!

(Metal Frame with Metal Beads Abacus

with Thread tied to a Jade Pig

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

While shopping in Stanley Market, my good friend (with whom we went to Hong Kong, together with her then boyfriend, & who gave me the first 2 Hong Kong Fridge Magnets) found this corner tiny shop at the back of Stanley Market which sells almost everything, from stationeries to household utensils etc... & it's got some Fridge Magnets too! And guess what we found?! The Lao Fu Zi Man Hua or Old Master "Q" Magazine characters Fridge Magnets!!

I remember I used to read Lao Fu Zi comic books when I was much much younger. I enjoyed reading them cos most of the strips didn't have dialogs (yet I could understand what they were talking from the storylines of the strips),

& these suited me very well cos my Chinese was pretty poor then, so the less Chinese the better!! Heheh!!!

Unfortunately, I only bought the (also known as Old Master Q) & "Da Fan Su" (Sweet Potato) Fridge Magnets, but not the 3rd main character "Chin Xian Shen" (Mr Chin) Fridge Magnet!!

So so so silly of me!!! I remember my good friend kept telling me I must also buy Mr Chin Fridge Magnet cos Lao Fu Zi, Big Sweet Potato & Mr Chin are 3 good friends & they can't do without each other etc etc!!

But then the strangest thing is I could hardly remember Mr Chin at all & disliked the look of him then, & no matter how much my friend advised me, I insisted I wouldn't buy him at all!!!

Now I really really regret it so much, cos now as I recall, I remember seeing Mr Chin in the comics - YEA.... he's that tall skinny guy who is always around with Lao Fu Zi & Big Sweet Potato!! No wonder that shop in Stanley Market was selling not 1, or 2, but all the 3 of them!! Stupid me Stubborn me!!!

Now, if I've got a chance to visit Hong Kong again, I must go back & look for that same shop in Stanley Market & buy Mr Chin Fridge Magnet!!!

((Old Master Q) &

"Da Fan Su" (Big Sweet Potato)

- Oh dear, where's our good friend

"Chin Xian Shen" (Mr Chin)?!?!

- Sorry Sorry guys, I know I left your Buddy

Mr Chin behind in Stanley Hong Kong... So Sorry...

I promise you both I'll bring him back

the next time I visit Hong Kong Okie!!)

Well, I've always had a liking to antique stuffs, & I was realy thrilled when I found the following antique Fridge Magnets in Stanley Market & Hong Kong International Airport.

(Brown & Cream Chinese Antique Pottery Flask

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Yellow & Jade Chinese Antique Porcelain Flask

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Blue & Cream Chinese Antique Pottery Flask

- Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong)

I also bought the following Chinese Gourd (or Hulu) Fridge Magnet in Hong Kong International Airport.

(Chinese Gourd (or Hulu) with Red Thread tied to it

- Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong)

Well, I was really excited when I found Mahjong Fridge Magnets in Stanley Market! And of course I bought several sets to give away to my mum too who loves playing Mahjong!

I remember I used to love playing mahjong with my family since my childhood days during the Chinese Lunar New Year. We enjoyed it alot, though we only played it the simplest way (without the tough complicated rules etc) - our Family way - which is so long as we could game & win!

Mahjong is a Chinese game of skill which involves 4 players. The Mahjong set has 136 pieces which contain 34 distinct kinds of pieces (4 of each kind) with which there're 3 suits (Bamboos, Characters & Dots) which runs from 1 to 9.

Well, the object of Mahjong is to build sets & get the highest point value. To do this, each player selects & discards tiles (the game pieces, bearing different designs) till an entire set of combinations has been made.

(Mahjong Dots & Bamboos Tiles

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

(Mahjong Charcters, Bamboos, Dots

& Directional (Wind or Feng) - West Tiles

- Stanley Market Hong Kong)

(Mahjong Characters &

Directional (Wind or Feng) - North Tiles

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

Dear & I also visited Victoria Peak with my Hong Kong buddy. As I've mentioned earlier, we were supposed to visit the Giant Buddha in Lantau Island that day but cos it was pouring cats & dogs, we decided to go to Victoria Peak instead. And was I glad that we did!! Cos I found many pretty Fridge Magnets up at the Peak!

(Mahjong tiles with Chinese Characters

"Kai Yun Da Ji" (meaning LUCKY)

& "Bi Shen" (meaning SURE WIN)

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Metalic Chinese Junk with

Picture of Tsing Ma Bridge in the Middle

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Metalic Tsing Ma Bridge Ashtray

with Picture of Victoria Harbour in the Middle

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

We later happened to chance upon a shop up at the Peak which sells so many so many Fridge Magnets!! Yes, there were all kinds of tiny, small, mini, huge, large, gigantic Fridge Magnets all over the walls of that shop - from the top to the bottom!!! It was such a amazing sight!!

And you could imagine I was literally jumping up & down with excitment & happiness!! Being a Fridge Magnet fanatic, I couldn't help but grapped many Fridge Magnets from that wonderful shop at the Peak!

(I wonder what exactly it is?! And whether

it's got anything to do with Hong Kong Culture?!

Well, to me it looks like an Earthen Pottery

Cooking Ware, like the Egyptian types

- pretty Cool!! And I like the Feathers!!

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Chinese Embroidered Lady Shoes

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

The following Traditional Chinese Wedding Cake Fridge Magnet has got to be my Most Favourite!!

Well, different wedding cakes have different special meanings. The Red Pastry means Good Luck, the Yellow Pastry brings Wealth, & the White (brown-colored) Pastries represent Virginity.

These Wedding Cakes are presented to the Bride's family by the Groom's family as part of the Proposal Gifts. The Bride's family will then use these Wedding Cakes to worship their Ancestors & send the rest of the Cakes, together with the Wedding Invitations, to their friends & relatives.

Below are the Doggie Heads Fridge Magnets which I bought from that same shop at Victoria Peak. Well, I began to have a liking to puppies ever since I met my Dear Dear, cos his whole family loves dogs!! And they have always had puppies in their homes since Dear was at a very young age.

Well, my Hong Kong buddy showed us how to take the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak (the highest point at 1817.6 feet above sea level within Hong Kong occupying the Western part of the Island). And getting up there was an unforgettable trip.

And it's so steep that the buildings we saw (at the side of the Mountain) which we passed by look like they're leaning at a 45°angle!

(Victoria Peak Tram

with Chinese Characters "Xiang Kang"

surrounding the words "Hong Kong"

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Replica of the Road Sign of Peak Road

with Chinese Characters "San Ding Dao"

via which Victoria Peak is

Accessible by Taxi & Private Car

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

See the below Fridge Magnet which I bought at that same shop at Victoria Peak. It's the spectacular view of the surrounding city skyline, the world-famous Victoria Harbour & Kowloon, the towering skyscrapers & the peaceful green hillsides that we were supposed to see upon looking down from the Peak.

However, the day we were up at the Peak was so so foggy that we could see nothing of that beautiful view!! Kinda sad, but it was pretty fun cos it felt like we were up in Heaven!!

(Spectacular View from Victoria Peak with

Protuding Surface - Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

Dear & I love to watch the Spiderman, Batman & Superman Movies & we practically grew up with these Superheroes!!! And I was really delighted to find their figurine Fridge Magnets in that same shop at Victoria Peak!!

(Spiderman Ready for Action

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Batman Ready to Kick Butt

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

(Superman Ready to Fly

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)

Dear & I also enjoyed watching the Movies of Bruce Lee (the late Legendary Martial Arts Film Star) since we were at a very young age! And I was really happy when I found the below Fridge Magnet while window shopping at Tanglin Mall in Singapore!

(Bruce Lee with his "Suan Jie Kun" Kungfu Weapon

from Hong Kong - Tanglin Mall, Singapore)

Well, what do you think of, first thing, when you hear about Hong Kong? Well, it's got to be that it's the Gourmet Paradise & what's it's main gourmet?!! Well, of couse it's got to be Dim Sum right?!!!

Dim sum cuisine consists of a wide spectrum of choices, including combinations of meat, seafood, vegatables, as well as desserts & fruits. These items are usually served in small bamboo steamer baskets or small plates, & they're either wheeled around on a trolley by servers where you can pick whatever you like, or they can be ordered from a menu.

And having a meal in a Chinese teahouse or a Dim Sum restaurant is known as Yum Cha, meaning "Drinking Tea" (or 飲茶 in Chinese), as tea is typically served with Dim Sum.

(Bamboo Steamer Baskets of Dim Dums

among other Yummy Dishes with the

Chinese Characters "Mei Shi Tian Tan"

meaning "Gourmet Paradise"

with Protruding Surface

- Victoria Peak, Hong Kong)_

Dear & I love Dim Sums alot & got really hooked on it while we were living in Australia. I remember we had Yum Cha quite often in the Chinatowns of Brisbane & Melbourne cos they served really yummy Dim Sums of all places & countries!

And of course while we were in Hong Kong, we never missed out on having Yum Cha either!! Hong Kong serves the best Dim Sums & I remember we ordered so many baskets & plates of them that we really ate to our hearts' contents! It was so so Shiok!!

Another of my all time favourite Dim Sum is Har Gau (or 蝦餃 in Chinese) or Shrimp Dumplings. Har Gau is a delicate steamed dumpling with whole or chopped-up shrimp filling wrapped inside a thin (almost translucent) wheat starch skin.

(Bamboo Steamer Basket of Har Gau

or Shrimp Dumplings

- Stanley Market, Hong Kong)

My Dear's favourite Dim Sum is Dan Tat (or 蛋挞 in Chinese) or Egg Tarts, which is baked egg custard on a flaky outer crust. Whenever we have Yum Cha, Dear will never fail to leave some tummy space for his Egg Tarts - he MUST have them!!!

(Plate of Yummy Egg Tarts on a piece of paper

- Looney Toons, Singapore)

Dear's other favourite Dim Sum which he never misses eating during Yum Cha is the Char Siu Bau (or 叉焼包 in Chinese). Char Siu literally means "Roasted on a Fork" & in Cantonese Yam Cha, Char Siu Baos are the most popular buns which are filled with barbecue-flavoured Char Siu Pork (Barbecued or Roasted Pork) & onions.

(Plate of Steamed Baos or Buns

- Looney Tunes, Singapore)

See the below Fridge Magnet. They're replicas of the Shou Tao (or Longevity Peach) - a Chinese steamed bun in the shape of a peach, filled with lotus paste & coloured a bright festive Pink.

Peaches are well known Chinese symbols of longevity & there's a Taoist story about the Queen Mother of the West who has a magical peach tree (which bears peaches fruits every 3 thousand years) & those who eat these peaches will be granted immortality.

Therefore, the peach shaped steamed buns (Shou Tao) are made to symbolize these magical, immortality granting peaches.And traditionally, the Shou Tao is eaten at birthday celebrations of elderly folks where the buns are piled high up on a tray.

And well, in the modern days of today, we eat Shou Tao at any time at any day. And cos Dear & I both like them alot, my Mum would often buy them for us!

(Bamboo Steamer Basket of

Gorgeous Pinky Shou Tao - Hong Kong

- Gift from Good Friend cum Ex-unimate)

Another favourite Dim Sum of Dear & I is the Shanghai Xiao Long Bao or Shanghai Steamed Buns (or 上海小笼包 in Chinese). Xiao Long Bao literally means "Little Basket Bun" & these dumplings are also known as Soup Dumplings. They're filled with meat (or seafood or vegetables) and are famous for their flavor and rich broth inside.

About Me

I'm a World Souvenir Magnets Fanatic - I love to explore the World & try out their delicious Cuisines & take lots of pictures of them, collect their special unique beautiful World Souvenirs such as Dolls, Key Rings etc etc.......& of course their amazingly gorgeous Souvenir Magnets!!